Last.



C. G. HARDWICK & A. H. ALLEN.

LAST.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIB. 1914.

1,230,893. Patented June 26, 1917.

Inventor; ChrisTopher Charles HardwicK.

'- Arthur HurryAHen.

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CHRISTOPHER CHARLES HARDWICK AND AR'iLI-IUR HARRY ALLEN, 0F NORTHAMPTON,

ENGLAND.

LAST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 18, 1914;. Serial No. 839,241.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHRISTOPHER GHARLEs HARDWICK and ARTHUR HARRY ALLEN, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, both residing at Northampton, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Lasts, of which the following is a speclfication.

This invention has reference to an improved boot or shoe last of the type known in the trade as collapsible lasts and which comprise two parts, a forepart and a heelpart, which are hingedly connected together and which are normally held opened or extended by means of a spring located between the said two parts.

This invention has reference to an improved collapsible boot or shoe last of the type comprising two parts, a forepart and a heel part, which are hingedly connected together by means of a plate located in a vertical slot that extends across the joint,

which plate is rigidly secured to one part and pivotally connected to the other part by a pin that passes transversely through the last, and which parts are normally held either extended or collapsed by means of a spring located between the said two parts.

The known hinged lasts of the type in question have a serious defect in that the last, when subjected to the buckling pressure of a leveling or like machine, is apt to break, or at least to yield sufficiently to make the joint loose and render the last practically useless, and it has been proposed in the specification of U. S. Patent No. 1,094 153 to obviate this by employing a novel hinge connection and forming the two parts of the last in such a manner that the one part directly supports the other at the joint. The advantages and disadvantages of the two constructions are set forth fully in the said specification.

We obviate the defect referred to in a new and very simple manner, and at the same time we provide a hinged last in which a spring-pressed plunger is so arranged, and an abutment against which it bears is so shaped, that the plunger not only holds the last firmly in either the extended or 001- lapsed positions but is projected outward with the full force of a freely acting spring to extend the last completely immediately the resistances which retain the last in the fully collapsed position are overcome. By a freely acting spring we mean a spring on the coils of which there is no binding action or friction internally or externally.

We have illustrated an embodiment of our invention in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved last fully expanded, and

Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations of our improved last showing said last respectively partly and wholly collapsed.

Referring, to the drawing, A denotes the heel part and B the forepart of the last. Mounted in a vertical slot in the heel part A is a hinge plate C which extends into a similar slot formed in the toe part B which latter is pivotally connected to said plate by a hinge pin or the like D. The plate C is secured to the part A bypins E, and its bottom edge is flush with the sole of the last and extends some distance on each side of the joint so that breaking of the joint by the pressure of a leveling roller or the like at the waist is effectively prevented.

The upper part of the plate C is formed with an arm having a head F rounded about as shown in the drawing and projecting into the upper portion of the usual V-shaped space above the joint between the two parts A and B.

The forepartB is formed with a downwardly directed socket in which is inserted a plunger G forced outwardly by a spring H and capable of sliding freely within a housing J. The plunger G is preferably formed with a tail rod 9 or the equivalent which passes through an aperture in the back of the housing. The tail rod 9 is surrounded by the spring H the rear end of which abuts against the back of the housing J. The head F is so shaped and positioned relatively to the plunger G-the free end of which is rounded or chamfered off-that the former in conjunction with the latter normally act to extend or open the last even when the last has been nearly collapsed to its full extent; and yet, when the last actually has been collapsed to its full extent said plunger acts to maintain it in such position and even with some considerable force resists the movement of the fore and heel parts in the direction to extend the last, but as soon as the initial movement in said di- Patented June 26, 1917. i

rection has been forcibly effected the plunger will instantly complete such movements of the parts so as to fully extend the last.

The forces which hold the parts in their collapsed position are the frictional resistances which oppose the action of the spring H in thatposition, the said resistances being the resultant of the friction between the upper portion of the rounded end of the plunger G and the under portion of the head F on the one hand, and the friction between the body portion of the said plunger and its housing J on the other hand.

The head F against which the plunger presses may be formed integrally with the heel part of the last instead of on the hinge plate in which case said head is preferably covered by a metal sheath, or it may be separate shaped metal part rigidly secured to the'last and projecting therefrom.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a two-part collapsible last, the combination of a fore-part and a heel-part each having a vertical slot and constructed and arranged to form a 'V-shaped space between them when they are extend-ed, a hinge-plate mounted in the said vertical slots so that its lower edge extends across the joint between the parts flush with the sole of the last, the said plate being secured rigidly to the heel part and pivotally to the toe part, a rigid abutment having a rounded head projecting from the heel part into the upper portion of the V-shaped space above the joint, a downwardly-(1i rected socket arranged in the solid body portion of the fore-part of the last, a spiral spring arranged freely in the said socket to bear against the bottom thereof, anda plunger slidably mounted in the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing Washington, If). C.

said socket to bear 011 the one hand against the'said spring and projecting from the said socket to bear on the other hand against the rounded head of the aforesaid abutment, the said plunger being rounded at its outer end to permit it to ride over the rounded head of the said abutment.

2. In a two-part collapsible last, the comhinationof a fore-part and a heel-part, each having a vertical slot and constructed and arranged to form between them a V-shaped space when they are extended, a hinge plate occupying said vertical slots and rigidly secured to the heel part, said plate having its lower edge where it extends across the joint between the parts flush with the sole of the last and being pivotally connected to the forepar-t, the portion of said plate which is secured in the heel-part of the last having an upwardly-directed extensionythe upper end of which presents a rounded head projecting into the upper portion of the V- shaped space above the joint andconstituting an abutment, the fore-part of the last having a downwardly-directed socket arranged in the solid body portion thereof, a spiral spring arranged freely in said socket to bear against the bottom thereof, and a plunger slidably mounted in said socket to bear on one hand against said spring and projecting from said socket to bear on the other hand against the rounded head of said abutment, said plunger being rounded at its outer end to permit it to ride over the rounded head of said abutment.

CHRISTOPHER CHARLES HARDWICK.- ARTHUR HARRY ALLEN. W'itnesses WV. G. HILL, F. TAP-SCOTT.

the Commissioner of Patents, 

